Landslide brings traffic to a halt

Commuters on the Mumbai-Goa highway had a tough day after the road got blocked following a landslide in Ratnagiri district on Sunday.

Commuters on the Mumbai-Goa highway had a tough day after the road got blocked following a landslide in Ratnagiri district on Sunday.

Highway police officials said traffic got blocked after a landslide near Pomendi village, between Ratnagiri town and Nivsar village, around 225km from Mumbai.

The landslide occurred around 12.30pm on Sunday. "Local police and public works department officials reached the spot immediately after the incident. We diverted the traffic via Mahad and the roads opened up shortly after," said Vijay Kamble, additional director general of police (state highway police).

According to Kamble, shortly after the landslide cleared, a boulder fell on the road blocking the way.

“Operations are underway to remove the boulder. Traffic has been diverted through National Highway 4, via Kolhapur," said Kamble.

The traffic on the highway came to a standstill for nearly four hours, while officials attempted to clear the road. “Our advice to people who are using this road is to travel through Kolhapur, on NH 4. Especially until the situation on the highway is resolved," said Kamble.

The police said heavy traffic on the Mumbai-Goa highway is common during the ten-day Ganpati festivities as the work force from Konkan, who live in Mumbai, visit their hometowns.

“We are working to ensure that the roads where the traffic has been diverted are not blocked either," said Kamble.